Alpha Kappa Alpha

Alpha Kappa Alpha (ΑΚΑ) Sorority, Incorporated, formed in January 15, 1908 at Howard University, became America's first Greek-letter organization established by Black college women. AKA founder Ethel Hedgeman Lyle was inspired by her then high school and college sweetheart George Lyle, who founded the Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at Howard in 1907. She viewed the Sorority as an instrument for enriching the social and intellectual aspects of college life by providing mental stimulation through interaction with friends and associates. In 1912, a dichotomy existed within the sorority and in 1913, twenty-two members disenfranchised from AKA and founded the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Alpha Kappa Alpha incorporated as a perpetual body in 1913 and gradually branched out to become the channel through which selected college-trained women improved the socioeconomic conditions in their city, state, nation, and the world. Through the years, however, Alpha Kappa Alpha's function has become more complex.

Among the group's goals is to have an association that cuts across racial, international, physical, and social barriers to help individuals and communities develop and maintain constructive relationships with others. Though Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, was founded to meet the collective needs of African Americans, its membership includes women of Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic descent. Additionally, Alpha Kappa Alpha women can be found on every continent in the world. The sorority is a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), a coordinating organization of nine (historically-Black) international Greek letter sororities and fraternities.

Alpha Kappa Alpha cultivates and encourages high scholastic and ethical standards, promotes unity and friendship among college women, alleviates problems concerning girls and women, maintains a progressive interest in college life, and serves all mankind through a nucleus of more than 170,000 women in over 900 chapters.

Introduction

The Howard University students were led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle into creating the sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1908. Nellie Quander and her gallant group contributed to incorporating the sorority.

The Founders

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*Marjorie Hill
*Lucy Diggs Slowe
*Lillie Burke
*Ethel Hedgeman Lyle
*Anna Easter Brown